News

Fracking could wipe thousands of pounds off the value of homes in areas where the controversial mining technique is allowed to go ahead.

The first extensive estate agents’ survey in Lancashire, Manchester and Sussex – areas in which energy firms have applied to start extracting shale gas – showed that two thirds of respondents thought house prices would suffer.

The majority of agents thought the loss of value per property could be as much as 10pc, while a handful estimated that prices could fall by up to 70pc.

After years of official skepticism, Oklahoma’s government has at last embraced the scientific consensus that the earthquakes now rocking the state are largely caused by the reinjection underground disposal of billions of barrels of wastewater from fracking.

The state is now having an average of 2.5 earthquakes of at least magnitude 3 every day, when it used to average only 1.5 a year.

It isn’t the fracking that actually causes the earthquakes, but the disposal of the wastewater created during the process. Fracking companies pump this dirty water into the earth in a place with deep underground faults, so it doesn’t return to the surface. The theory is that this activity on the fault line lubricates Earth’s plates where they rub against each other, allowing them to move more freely, causing more frequent earthquakes.

The largest registered a magnitude 5.7. It injured two people, destroyed 14 homes, toppled headstones, closed schools, and was felt in 17 states. It was preceded by a 4.7 foreshock the morning prior and followed by a 4.7 aftershock. The home of Joe and Mary Reneau (less than two miles from the epicentre of the quake) took six months to rebuild

UK geology is thought to be more heavily fractured and faulted than that of the US, so we would expect more earthquakes from the same amount of activity, as the limited experience in Lancashire has shown.

We write as concerned health professionals who seek to draw the public’s attention to the dangers associated with hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and shale gas extraction in the United Kingdom, as highlighted by a recent report published by Medact.

Fracking is an inherently risky activity that produces hazardous levels of air and water pollution that can have adverse impacts on health. The heavy traffic, noise and odour that accompanies fracking, as well as the socially disruptive effects of temporary ‘boomtowns’ and the spoilage of the natural environment are additional health hazards.

Such risks would be magnified in the UK where fracking is projected to take place in closer proximity to more densely populated communities; and where there are concerns about the effectiveness of the regulatory system for onshore gas extraction.

But in addition to this, shale gas is not a clean source of energy. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas in its own right, and when burnt, produces carbon dioxide. Shale gas extraction would undermine our commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and be incompatible with global efforts to prevent global warming from exceeding two degrees centigrade.

The arguments against fracking on public health and ecological grounds are overwhelming. There are clear grounds for adopting the precautionary principle and prohibiting fracking.

In 2011 the US House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce asked 14 leading oil and gas service companies to disclose the types and volumes of the hydraulic fracturing products they used in their fracking fluids between 2005 and 2009.

The relevant extract from the Executive Summary reads [emphasis added]:

“Between 2005 and 2009, the 14 oil and gas service companies used more than 2,500 hydraulic fracturing products containing 750 chemicals and other components. Overall, these companies used 780 million gallons of hydraulic fracturing products – not including water added at the well site – between 2005 and 2009.

“Some of the components used in the hydraulic fracturing products were common and generally harmless, such as salt and citric acid [though do you want these added to your groundwater?]. Some were unexpected, such as instant coffee and walnut hulls. And some were extremely toxic, such as benzene and lead.

…

“The most widely used chemical in hydraulic fracturing during this time period, as measured by the number of compounds containing the chemical, was methanol. Methanol, which was used in 342 hydraulic fracturing products, is a hazardous air pollutant and is on the candidate list for potential regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act.

…

“Between 2005 and 2009, the oil and gas service companies used hydraulic fracturing products containing 29 chemicals that are (1) known or possible human carcinogens, (2) regulated under the Safe Drinking Water Act for their risks to human health, or (3) listed as hazardous air pollutants under the Clean Air Act. These 29 chemicals were components of more than 650 different products used in hydraulic fracturing.

…

“The BTEX compounds – benzene, toluene, xylene, and ethylbenzene – appeared in 60 of the hydraulic fracturing products used between 2005 and 2009. Each BTEX compound is a regulated contaminant under the Safe Drinking Water Act and a hazardous air pollutant under the Clean Air Act. Benzene also is a known human carcinogen. The hydraulic fracturing companies injected 11.4 million gallons of products containing at least one BTEX chemical over the five year period.

“In many instances, the oil and gas service companies were unable to provide the Committee with a complete chemical makeup of the hydraulic fracturing fluids they used. Between 2005 and 2009, the companies used 94 million gallons of 279 products that contained at least one chemical or component that the manufacturers deemed proprietary or a trade secret. Committee staff requested that these companies disclose this proprietary information. Although some companies did provide information about these proprietary fluids, in most cases the companies stated that they did not have access to proprietary information about products they purchased “off the shelf” from chemical suppliers. In these cases, the companies are injecting fluids containing chemicals that they themselves cannot identify. “

Academics from Warwick Business School and University College London have published an opinion piece based on research funded by the UK Energy Research Centre (UKERC).

They advise policymakers that, for continuing economic, social and environmental reasons, the UK’s gas strategy should be developed on the assumption that there will be no domestically produced shale gas.

They say that recovery of UK shale gas (while still keeping within two degrees of climate change) might only be an option if ten conditions apply.

Summarising, these conditions include:

That there is recoverable shale gas under the UK. (Our difficult geology make make this too difficult or costly.)

That we produce zero electricity using coal after 2025.

That there is widespread cheap technology to capture and store the CO2 that would be produced.

That we are able to measure and manage the methane that is released during shale gas production.

That the fracking industry wins the ‘social licence to operate’ from the people of Britain, because we trust the companies to avoid or control the negative environmental impacts that exist.

Given that Deutsche Bank (and others) is already saying that solar power has won, these conditions seem increasingly unlikely to be met. (In some countries, such as Australia, solar electricity is already less than half the retail price of electricity from the power companies. Within two years it expected to reach ‘grid parity’ in around 80% of countries worldwide.)

Yesterday, 4th March 2015, a man from Banbury called Paul Mobbs went to Downing Street with the intention of making a citizens arrest of four key members of government who he believes are guilty of ‘Misconduct In Public Office’ in relation to fracking.

The police refused to allow him entry, so he explained his reasons and showed them his evidence.

After several hours, when they still refused, he threatened to block access to Downing Street and was arrested under the Terrorism Act.

Because he was carrying his documented evidence on his person, this will now have to be taken in as evidence when charges are brought.

You can read below the account given yesterday by one of his supporters. A separate post later in the evening announced that he had been released and was back at home.

A Film Night Social was held in Hovingham 4th March with residents from surrounding villages including Terrington, Slingsby, Nunnington and Stonegrave.

65 people watched Groundswell RISING, a one hour compelling documentary about the human side of fracking.

Coffee and home made cakes were provided generous by artizan supporters.

FFR merchandise including badges, car stickers and bags were sold on the evening.

All proceeds were earmarked in support of our neighbours and friends in Kirby Misperton for the planning objection. (We estimate we will need as much as £15,000 to prepare a detailed technical objection.) More than £300 was generously donated on the night. Our list of Businesses and Landowners against fracking is growing by the day.

The next film night will be in Kirby Misperton Village Hall, 11th March.

During the past 2 weeks, Third Energy have been holding consultation meetings with residents in Pickering, Gt Habton, Malton and Kirby Misperton. Frack Free Ryedale members have been outside each venue (not being deterred by the cold) for the duration of each meeting from 1.00 – 7.00 pm. This was an important presence to show local residents they are being supported and that they can say no. It was also a message to Third Energy that residents oppose fracking in Ryedale. We counted people going in and spoke to most of the people coming out of the consultation. The majority expressed concerns about traffic, air and light pollution, 24/7 drilling and specifically about the impact on house prices.

We were also joined at Kirby Misperton with fantastic support from Frack Free Lancashire and the Fylde. This combined support truly united the Roses from Lancashire to Yorkshire, coast to coast. We are building on our joint efforts and resources to stop fracking in the UK. Let’s keep up the pressure, together we can stop it!